" If WalMart Ain't Got It... I Don't Need It."

Wow! Where is this guy coming from? I mean... I've seen more motivation out of my teenage daughters on 'laundry day'.

Actually, I heard that said once. When I think about it, which is quite often, I can't decide if this man is really 'missing the boat'. or, maybe... just maybe, he has his priorities in perfect order. I will be the first to admit, I am intrigued by what this world has to offer. But, I realize that these things can be very consuming at times.

I think back to when I was a young kid. Life seemed to move much slower then. People seemed to have more time for each other, and simple things were actually fun. My mom reminded us to 'stop and listen to the crickets' and my grandmother always had a homemade pie in the fridge. As far as us kids were concerned? Well, we drank from the garden hose, played army with sticks ( 'I can hear it now... 'Pow! Pow! You're dead!' - 'No! You missed me!'), magically turned our bicycles into motorcycles with a clothespin and baseball card, and sometimes just hung out on the corner and watched the world go by.

Well. now the garden hose has been replaced by bottled Vitamin Water, the pie by microwave snacks, and hanging around with friends has been fizzled out by Facebook!

Dont' get me wrong. Like I said. I'm very thankful for progress. Man, I don't know what I'd do without indoor plumbing, air-conditioning, and microwave biscuits! But honestly, most of the things we used to do would be quite boring according to today's standards. I guess time has a way of forcing things into 'obsolete status'. Very few things stand the test of time.

There's one thing though that has withstood all attacks time can dish out. It's the number one best-selling book of all time. It has been translated into over 2,400 languages and is estimated to be sold or given away at a rate of 168,000 copies per day! Yes. It's the Holy Bible. It's truths never change and never go out of style. Even if you're not a Bible reader, you have to admit that if society would practice some of it's fundamental teachings ( love your neighbor as yourself, forgive as you have been forgiven, help the poor, honor your father and mother), this world would be a better place. It's been called by many 'our Instruction Book for life'. I totally believe that. I depend on it for guidance, hope, assurance and strength. It's my Father's 'love letter' to me, as it is to each of us, and I'm grateful for it.

So, even though 'these times...they are a changin', there's still some things that never change. Some things that keep us in perspective, align our priorities in perfect order, and help us enjoy the blessings we have...right here...right now. These are the things we should all hold onto.

Until we meet again... stop and listen to the crickets, grab a slice of pie, and read The Instructions.

Keep pressing on...